Where Do We Go From Here?
by dramaqueen214
Summary: What happens after the season finale? This is my take on season four. It picks up right where we left off. I'm not sure of the pairings yet, but I promise they'll be good!
1. A Sorta Fairytale 1

Author's Note: I haven't written in a really, really long time, so I apologize if I'm a tad rusty on the fanfic thing. This is the first idea that's popped into my head in a while, so I'm just gonna go with it. Basically the story picks up right where season 3 left off. It's divided into episodes, but they will be over a series of chapters, if that makes any sense. I've never been a huge fan of the script format, but I think it's going to work better in this case. Please review and let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's. I just have an unhealthy obsession with it.

Season Four, Episode One A Sorta Fairytale 

**Meredith V.O.**: When we were little, almost every story we read, or movie we saw ended with, "and they lived happily ever after". We were raised to expect perfection; to ride off into the sunset with the dream spouse, the dream family, the dream job; in short, the dream life.

(_Cristina and Meredith are on the floor of Burke's apartment, a bottle of tequila between them.)_

(_Izzie is standing in the kitchen, in front of a mixer, surrounded by plates of cookies_.)

(_George is sitting alone in the dark church, his head in his hands._)

**Meredith V.O**.: Yeah, right. What I want to know is why it ends there. How come we never see this alleged "happily ever after"?

(_Derek sits at Joe's, a glass of scotch in front of him._)

(_Bailey enters, and takes a seat next to him._)

**Meredith V.O.**: Who's to say that Cinderella's prince didn't end up running after one of her stepsisters? And maybe Sleeping Beauty decided that 100 years of sleeping was a much better deal than a lifetime of wifely duties.

(_Alex stands in Ava's empty hospital room._)

(_Callie has her cell phone to her ear, an annoyed look on her face._)

**Meredith V.O.**: Call me a skeptic, but these days, "happily ever after's" are getting harder to come by. And most of the time, we end up with a fractured version of the lives we imagined. So how can we reconcile our own fairy tales with reality? Do we keep trying to live our dreams, or can we just accept plain old "ever after"?

(_Burke's apartment. Cristina and Meredith are sitting on the floor, still in their wedding gear, with a deck of cards and a bottle of tequila._)

**Cristina** (_Placing her last card on the ground_): Ha! Last one. I'm out. I win! Drink.

**Meredith** _(Takes a swig and puts the bottle down.)_: It's been six hours, and you're still in your underwear. Do you want to talk about it?

**Cristina**: No. Right now I want to kick your ass in another round of rummy.

**Meredith**: Cristina…

**Cristina**: All I want to do is forget it for now. Ok? I'm coping. This is me coping. Now deal.

**Meredith **_(Raises her eyebrows and shuffles the deck.)_

(_The kitchen of Meredith's house. Izzie is at the counter, adding ingredients into a mixing bowl. Trays of cookies surround her. Alex enters._)

**Alex** _(Taking his coat off and placing it down on a chair.) _Whoa. It looks like Betty Crocker exploded in here.

**Izzie**_ (Hands him a plate)_: Here, have a cookie. Or twelve.

**Alex**___Chuckles)_: I need something a whole lot stronger than cookies. _(He walks over to the liquor cabinet and pulls out a bottle of vodka. He pours himself a glass and begins to sip.)_

**Izzie**: Where exactly did you go?

**Alex **_(Sighs)_: Nowhere. Absolutely nowhere.

**Izzie**_ (Knowingly)_: Ava was gone, huh?

**Alex**: Yeah. Long gone. Guess I blew that one.

**Izzie**: Well, that does seem to be the theme of the day.

**Alex**: What do you mean?

**Izzie**_ (Looking up from her mixing)_: It started with Burke leaving Cristina at the altar, before she actually even made it that far, and it ended with Meredith dumping McDreamy in front of the entire church.

**Alex**: Wow, sounds like I missed quite a show.

**Izzie** (_Rolling out the dough she has been mixing.)_: Yeah, everyone was miserable. Except Callie of course. She was glowing. _(Starts rolling harder.) _And why shouldn't she be? She's got her perfect marriage, her perfect promotion, and her perfect baby.

**Alex**: Callie's pregnant?

**Izzie**: No, not yet. _(Sarcastically)_ They're trying. Great. Wonderful. Perfect.

**Alex**: Iz, don't you think its time to get over the whole hating Callie thing? I mean, if they want a baby I'd say things are pretty set in stone. I know you don't like the chick, but George is your best friend. Can't you be happy for him?

**Izzie**_ (Eyes welling up)_: He didn't come Alex. I waited and waited and he didn't come. He's never not shown up. He's always been there._ (She wipes her face with her sleeve.)_

**Alex**_ (Confused)_: Izzie, it was just a wedding and it didn't even happen. Is it really a big deal that he wasn't there?

**Izzie**_ (Looks at Alex)_: I'm going to tell you something. And you can't laugh, or tell anyone else. You have to be supportive, ok Alex? You have to be my friend.

**Izzie**_ (Takes a deep breath.)_: I slept with George.

**Alex**_ (Shocked)_: You slept with Bambi? Dude, he's gotten more action at Seattle Grace than…_(Izzie shoots him a look)_ Ok. You slept with George. Now what?

**Izzie **_(Looks down, her eyes filling again.)_

**Alex**_ (Realizing)_: This wasn't just a one time thing, huh? You're falling for him.

**Izzie**: It only happened once. But it's all I can think about. He's all I can think about. But he wanted to pretend it never happened. And I can't do that. There's something there, Alex. Something between us that I didn't think I'd ever feel again after…well, ever again. So I told him today. I told him that I'm in love with him. He was supposed to come find me at the church. But he didn't. He chose her. And now I have to pretend to be all supportive while I watch them start this happy little family. I can't do it…I just can't…(_She starts sobbing.)_

**Alex**_ (Gets up and walks towards her, she collapses into his arms. He strokes her hair as she cries): _Izzie, you don't know that he picked her. He's got a lot on his mind, and I'm sure if he promised he'd talk to you, he will. You're Izzie and George, you'll work this out.

**Izzie** _(Still crying)_: He didn't come…

_(Joe's. Derek and Bailey sit at the bar.)_

**Bailey**: I don't understand. How could he have not picked me? I'm Bailey. I'm his star student. Anything that man ever asked of me, I've done it. I've given 110 percent to this job since day one. Did you ever see her rushing around on his orders? Did she orchestrate the top secret surgery to remove the tumor that would have ended his career? _(Takes a sip of her drink.)_

**Derek**: Actually, I believe that was me, Dr. Bailey.

**Bailey**: Listen, Mr. Fancy Neurosurgeon. If you're so smart, then you tell me why the foolish man picked that Aerosmith groupie to run his residency program. I deserved to be chief resident. That hospital is my life.

**Derek**: That's just it. He doesn't want you to make the same mistakes he made. You have a family, Miranda. A baby. He's just trying to make sure your priorities are in order.

**Bailey**_ (Indignant)_: I do not need anyone to tell me about priorities. I have spent the past year raising a child, maintaining a marriage, and watching over five of the most pig-headed, emotionally charged, needy interns to ever pass through the surgical program. I have also managed to save hundreds of lives; including the life of your mistress slash girlfriend slash whatever the hell she is this week. Do not talk to me about priorities. _(Looks to the bartender.)_ I'm going to need another bourbon.

**Derek** _(Not looking up.)_ She's not my girlfriend anymore. This week she's my ex.

**Bailey**_ (Rolling her eyes.)_ And he is going to need another scotch. Dear Lord.

To be continued!


	2. A Sorta Fairytale 2

Author's Note: I'm sorry it's been awhile...but I'm busy with work and stuff. Also, I didn't get many reviews, so I don't want to waste time on something that people aren't reading, so if you want me to continue, review!

Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's.

**Season Four**

Episode One (continued): A Sorta Fairytale

(Seattle Grace. The hallway outside of the baby nursery. George is standing, his face pressed up against the glass. Addison passes through the hallway, and stops when she recognizes him)

**Addison: **_(Peering over her glasses) _Dr. O'Malley, you're here late. _(She notices what he's looking at) _Babies on the brain?

**George:**_ (Snaps out of his daze)_ Huh? Oh, hi Dr. Montgomery. Shouldn't you be at the reception?

**Addison:** Well generally a wedding reception requires an actual marriage to take place.

**George: **_(Shocked)_ You mean Cristina and Dr. Burke didn't…_(Addison shakes her head)_ But he seemed so sure of himself…of his relationship.

**Addison: **I guess we can never be sure…

**George: **Life.

**Addison:**_ (Considers this for a moment)_ Yeah, life. _(They are both silent) _Well, you should be getting home, resting up for your first day. You'll need it. The resident title will mean very little in the beginning. They'll still be running you ragged. They might as well call it intern year, round two.

**George: **_(Laughs nervously)_

**Addison: **Don't worry, I'll put in a good word with the new neonatal attending. _(Thoughtfully) _You should really consider it, George. You were great with Dr. Bailey. You've got the touch.

**George: **_(Puzzled) _New attending?

**Addison:** Today is my last day. Time to move on, you know? Too much of my past following me around here. I need a fresh start, away from all the drama.

**George: **_(Thinks for a moment, then looks up at her) _Dr. Montgomery, can I ask you a question?

**Addison: **_(Concerned) _What is it?

**George: **_(Searching for words) _Do you ever feel like maybe you made a mistake, coming here…staying with Dr. Shepherd? _(She looks slightly taken aback)_ Forget it. Too personal…I'm sorry, it's just that…

**Addison: **_(Realizing where this is going) _George, what happened between Derek and I was a mess. Cheating on him was wrong, adultery always is…but staying with him was worse...I cheated him out of happiness. _(She pauses)_ For a year, I pretended that everything was fine; that we were still in love, that trying to make our marriage work was the right thing to do. It wasn't. We were fooling ourselves into thinking we had some sort of responsibility to stay together. _(Sighs) _The truth is people change. And they grow apart. Life happens, and usually we have very little control over that. I regret staying with him because it prevented both of us from being happy. At first I believed that I didn't deserve happiness, because of what I did, but I was wrong. People make mistakes. Awful, terrible, life-altering mistakes, but at the end of the day, we all deserve to find happiness. _(She looks George directly in the eye) _Do not continue down a path you know is wrong out of some sense of duty. If you're not happy, it's not right. You deserve better, you both deserve better.

**George:**_ (Nods, swallowing a lump in his throat) _Thank you.

**Addison: **George, you're a good person. You're going to make a great surgeon.

**George: **_(Nods. Addison walks away)_

-------------------------------------------

(_The interns locker room, the next morning. Izzie, and Alex enter, carrying empty boxes. Meredith and Cristina are already at their old lockers, emptying the contents. The new interns are entering in clusters. Lexie Grey is among them.)_

**Alex: **_(Putting his box down on a bench and opening his locker. He glances across the bench at Cristina, then leans over to Meredith) _Is she seriously working today? After everything that happened? What if she sees him?

**Meredith:**_ (Placing tee-shirts into her box) _Of course she is. She's Cristina. She doesn't know how to cope without a scalpel in her hand.

**Cristina:**_(Without looking away from the task at hand) _You know that I can hear you, right? _(Meredith and Alex shrug)_ And just for the record, there is nothing wrong with the way I get through things, ok? At least my coping strategies have a positive outcome. I don't end up sleeping with inappropriate men or making everyone fat; I save lives.

**Izzie: **Hey!

**Meredith:**_(Turning to face Crisitna) _Look, I'm not saying you have to take the dark and twisty route. I'm just concerned that maybe all of this denial is going to come back and bite you in the ass.

**Cristina: **_(Annoyed)_ I am not in denial. And nothing will be biting me in the ass. _(Slams her locker)_

**Alex: **_(Under his breath) _At least not Burke, anyway.

**Meredith: **_(Slaps him on the back of the head)_ You are not helping the situation. _(Alex shrugs, as Meredith walks into the bathroom)_

**Izzie: **_(Bending down to put the last of her things in the box. As she stands up, she realizes George's locker is open a crack. She opens the door) _Hey, all of George's stuff is gone. He's already cleared out his locker. _(Bailey enters the locker room, Izzie sees her) _Dr. Bailey, where's George? Why isn't he here?

**Bailey: **_(Hesitantly) _Dr. O'Malley will not be joining us today.

**Izzie: **I didn't realize he'd start Mercy West right away…he never told me he…

**Alex: **_(Cutting her off) _Hey, Iz, we should bring this stuff down to the residents' locker room. _(He grabs his box and stacks it on top of hers, picking both of them up)_

**Bailey:**_ (Clearing her throat) _First year residents should be reporting to Dr. Torres-O'Malley in the next five minutes. As for all of you interns, I will now read off your assignments. Collins, Harper, Cho, Mitchell and Samuels, you are with Dr. Heron. _(Bailey continues to read off names)_

**Cristina:**_(Walking back into the locker room with Meredith) _I don't know why everyone's so concerned about me, I'm not the only one who got dumped at the altar.

**Meredith**: Oh no. We are not making this about me. Derek and I have been rocky for a while, the end was imminent. Don't even try to compare us to you.

**Cristina:**All I'm saying is that you're doing some denying of your own. I don't buy this supportive friend act at all.

**Meredith: **Excuse me? It's not an act. I'm your person. I'm supposed to be supporting you.

**Cristina: **That's not what I meant. You're directing the attention off of you. You're projecting. _(Hearing Bailey)_ Oh, new interns. We're done talking about this right now. I want to see them squirm.

**Meredith:** Ok. But I'm not projecting. And I'm not denying.

**Cristina:** Liar. _(She stops to watch. Meredith returns to filling her box)_

**Bailey: **And that leaves my interns: Davidson, Walsh, Little, Laroe and _(She does a double take at the name on the list) _Grey?

**Meredith: **_(Looking up) _Huh?

**Lexie: **_(Stepping forward and sticking out her hand) _Hi Dr. Bailey. I'm Lexie Grey.

----------------------------------------------

(The residents locker room. Izzie and Alex are transferring all of their belongings into new lockers. Other residents are doing the same. Meredith and Cristina enter)

**Meredith: **_(Fuming) _She's in this hospital. She's an intern at Seattle Grace. Like it wasn't enough to lose my real mother, my fake mother and my boyfriend this year. Or to be completely disowned and slapped by my absent father. No, it wasn't even enough to drown apparently. Now I have to deal with the superstar half sister too? _(She walks past the lockers and into the bathroom area, Izzie and Alex look puzzled)_

**Cristina: **_(Following her, and explaining as she passes by) _Lexie. Meredith's other sister. She's an intern. She's Bailey's intern.

**Alex: **_(Putting his stethoscope around his neck) _Wow. Talk about getting dealt a shitty hand.

**Izzie: **Great. This is really setting a good tone for our first day of residency. George is gone, Cristina's in denial and Meredith is going off the deep end. _(She slams her locker) _Could things get any worse?

(Callie enters the locker room)

**Izzie: **Yes. Apparently they can. _(Rolls her eyes)_

**Callie: **_(Looking over a clipboard and approaching Alex and Izzie) _Where are Grey and Yang? _(Izzie looks down, refusing to make eye contact)_

**Alex: **Bathroom. Meredith's flipping out.

**Callie:**I don't care if she's stroking out. If I don't see all of my residents in front of me in 30 seconds, not one of you will scrub in on so much as a bowel obstruction. _(She walks towards the bathroom)_

**Alex: **_(Under his breath) _Someone's a little power-hungry. _(Izzie nods)_

**Callie: **_(Comes back, followed by Meredith and Cristina) _Now, we can get started. Welcome to your first year of residency. You are no longer interns, but let me make this perfectly clear: you are still in the training stage of your careers as surgeons. Resident status is not carte blanche to perform any type of surgery at your whim. You may be asked to handle basic procedures without the supervision of a higher ranked surgeon, but for the most part, you will still be performing the same duties you had as interns; pre and post op examinations, assisting senior residents and attendings, and any other tasks that my colleagues or I see fit. You will be working alongside the new interns, but you will not be responsible for them. _(She paces back and forth) _During this year, you will also be determining which specialty you will focus on for the remainder of your residency. You don't have to know right now, but I strongly urge you to think about it sooner rather than later. The sooner you decide, the more opportunities you will have to refine your skills. _(Glances at her clipboard) _You will be reporting to me at the start of each shift to receive your assignment for the day. I expect all of you to treat myself and the other senior residents with respect. I'm not here to make your life hell, I'm here to make you better surgeons. Keep that in mind and we should all get along just fine. _(She glances at Izzie) _Any questions? Good. Ok…Karev, you're with Sloan, Grey, you're with me, Stevens and Yang, take the clinic.

**Cristina: **_(Sighing) _The clinic? It's Monday morning. There won't be anything surgical in the clinic. Just stupid people who drank too much over the weekend and kids faking sick to get out of school.

**Callie:** _(Annoyed)_ Well I guess you're going to have a light morning then. _(She turns and exits, Meredith follows)_

**Cristina: **_(Stopping Meredith on her way out) _Are you going to be ok?

**Meredith:** Fine. As long as I don't run into my ex-boyfriend or half-sister. _(She leaves)_

(Izzie and Cristina leave the locker room and head down the hallway to the clinic)

**Izzie: **God, could she be any more McBitchy?

**Cristina: **She's like Bailey on speed.

**Izzie: **Seriously.

**Cristina: **I'm a resident now. I should not be curing the poor and desperate of their stomach flus and runny noses. I should be slicing flesh and repairing organs. She is wasting my talent.

_(Bailey crosses in front of them, she's looking over some paperwork)_

**Cristina: **_(Excitedly running up to Bailey)_ Oh thank God, Dr. Bailey. You have to help us. She has us in the clinic. The clinic on a Monday morning. Can you believe her?

**Bailey: **What?

**Izzie: **Callie. She's totally taking this power thing and running with it.

**Cristina: **_(Desperate) _You need to give us something. Appendectomy, tonsillectomy, anything, just give me a scalpel.

**Bailey: **You are not my interns anymore. You're not even my residents. I can't help you.

**Izzie: **But you're Bailey.

**Bailey: **_(Looks at Izzie and Cristina) _Look. I am not in charge of you anymore. And I have my new interns to deal with. Not to mention the fact that this hospital has lost two attendings in the past 24 hours. Callie's chief. If she says clinic, you got the clinic. It's not my place to overrule her. _(She turns and walks away)_

**Izzie: **_(Incredulous) _Wow, that was so…un-Bailey. What's wrong with her?

**Cristina: **_(Ignoring Izzie) _Did she say two attendings?

--------------------------------------------------------------

**To be continued! REVIEW!**


	3. A Sorta Fairytale 3

Author's Note: I'm still not convinced this is worth my time…but I like the story so I thought I'd add some more. This chapter gets into some medical stuff…I've researched all the conditions used in the story, so everything should be pretty accurate. Please review if you want me to continue.

Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's.

**Season Four**

Episode One (continued): A Sorta Fairytale

_(The clinic. Almost completely empty except for two patients. Cristina is suturing a young man's leg. Izzie is in the next curtain area starting an IV)_

**Cristina: **_(Rambling) _It has to be him. He has to be one of the two. He had no surgeries on the board today, none of us got assigned to him. I mean, he's not here. He's really gone.

**Izzie: **_(Looking up and over at Cristina, concerned) _Look, are you freaking out? Because I'm not really in a good place to be handling heightened emotions. Do you want me to get Meredith?

**Cristina: **I am not freaking out. I am just logically processing the current situation. I do not freak out.

**Suture Guy: **_(Nervously) _Are you sure you're not freaking out? Cuz you're threading a needle through my skin, and I'm thinking that requires the majority of your focus.

**Cristina: **_(Cocky)_ You think so, huh? Wanna know what I think? I think that you should shut up and let me finish. Unless you have a medical degree from an Ivy League school and feel like taking over.

**Izzie: **Cristina…

**Cristina: **Oh shut it Barbie.

_(Suture Guy and Izzie exchange a look. Alex enters the clinic and heads for the desk. He notices Cristina and Izzie)_

**Alex: **Wow, looks like you two are saving lots of lives down here.

**Cristina: **At least we're working with patients. _(Sarcastically) _Shouldn't you be fetching Sloan his morning cappuccino?

**Alex: **_(Grabbing a file and heading towards the curtain area) _Actually, I'm just getting a patient's file for a pre-op workup. _(Cristina grabs the file out of his hand) _Kid with Apert Syndrome. We're performing a LeFort III.

**Cristina:** _(Jealously) _This is so not fair. I'm stuck down here while you get to take a kid's face off and reattach it to his skull.

**Suture Guy: **_(Disgusted) _Gross.

**Cristina: **_(Snips the excess thread) _You know what? Go. You can go. _(Suture Guy leaves. Cristina turns to Alex) _You have got to get me in on this surgery.

**Alex:** No way. I'm lucky Sloan's letting me scrub in. Find another surgery to poach.

**Izzie: **Easier said than done. Have you seen the board? I've never seen it so clear.

**Alex: **Yeah well, that's what happens when the number one cardio guy decides to skip town. _(Notices Cristina's face fall) _Sorry Yang. I figured you knew.

**Cristina: **I did.

**Izzie: **_(Trying to change the subject) _Have you figured out who the other attending is?

**Alex: **_(Confused) _Other attending?

**Izzie: **Yeah, when we saw Bailey earlier she said that two attendings were gone.

**Alex: **I haven't heard anything. Everyone's been kind of busy though…I think they're announcing the new Chief today.

**Cristina: **_(Determinedly) _Well, I'm not sitting here suturing all day. I'm going to find a surgery. _(To Izzie) _ Come on.

**Izzie: **Cristina, let's not piss off Callie.

**Cristina: **Since when do you play by the rules? Let's go. They have interns for this kind of crap.

_(Izzie rolls her eyes and gets up to follow Cristina out of the clinic. Alex shakes his head and grabs his chart)_

---------------------

_(Patient's room. Meredith is making notes on the patient's chart. Callie enters)_

**Callie: **Ok Grey, what have you got for me?

**Meredith: **_(Glancing at her chart) _This is Mrs. Stark…

**Julie: **_(Interrupts) _Mrs. Stark makes me sound like someone's mother in law. Please, call me Julie.

**Meredith: **Ok, this is Julie. She's 41 and is here for the third time in six months complaining of pain in her right knee. She had arthroscopic surgery two years ago to alleviate a bone spur in the same knee. Labs came back perfectly normal, but MRI shows complete erosion of cartilage.

**Callie: **_(Sliding an X-Ray onto the light box. Quietly to Meredith) _Oh wow, she's got nothing at all there. _(Turns to face Julie) _Are you an athlete Julie?

**Julie: **_(Somewhat hestitantly) _I was a figure skater when I was young.

**Meredith: **_(Light dawning) _Oh! You're Julie Simms! I knew you looked familiar.

_(Callie looks puzzled)_

**Meredith: **I used to love to watch figure skating when I was a little girl. I actually saw you once in a showcase back in Boston. _(Julie smiles)_ I wanted to skate too. I lasted half a year in lessons…I hated falling so much.

**Julie: **You get used to it I suppose. And then you pay the price down the line. _(Motions to her knee) _I've been having problems with it since I was in high school. It cost me a gold in the Olympics. _(Sadly)_

**Callie: **Well Julie, what do you say we get rid of your problem for good? _(Julie looks hopeful) _Dr. Grey, what would you recommend for course of treatment?

**Meredith: **I would suggest a unicompartmental knee arthroplasty.

**Callie: **_(Nods)_Excellent.

**Julie: **What is that?

**Callie: **It's a knee replacement.

**Julie: **_(Scared) _You want to replace my knee? Isn't that a little extreme?

**Callie: **I know this is a big deal, but I promise it's not as scary as it sounds. Dr. Grey, why is a UKR the best solution for Julie?

**Meredith: **Well, it's a lot less invasive than traditional knee replacements, we'll only replace the parts of the joint that are the most damaged. Also given Julie's young age, a UKR will allow for quicker recovery and better range of motion.

**Callie: **Exactly. _(Looks at Julie) _This surgery will get you back to your normal way of living. You'll walk better, move better, even skate better.

**Julie: **_(Abruptly___Oh, I don't skate anymore.

**Callie: **I see. _(Pauses) _Still, it's really your best option for treatment.

**Julie: **Ok then. Let's do it.

**Callie: **Great. I'll see what we can do to fit you in this afternoon. _(She leaves the room and Meredith follows)_

**Callie: **_(Walking down the hall) _I never would have pegged you for a figure skating fan.

**Meredith: **In a different life. _(She laughs) _But once upon a time, I did love watching them. So graceful. Something I never was.

**Callie: **_(Laughs) _You and me both. _(Puts the chart away, then turns to Meredith) _Um, you haven't seen George in the past 24 hours, have you?

**Meredith: **Only right before the church. He didn't come home last night?

**Callie: **Well, he wasn't there when I went to sleep and he wasn't there when I woke up.

**Meredith: **Did you have a fight?

**Callie: **No. I mean, yesterday was a big day, and a lot of stuff was going on, but everything seemed fine before the wedding. I thought maybe he ended up back at your house?

**Meredith: **No. Have you tried calling him?

**Callie: **No answer. And I don't have his Mercy West pager number yet.

**Meredith: **Well I'm sure he's fine. Probably really busy with first day stuff.

**Callie: **_(Trying to brush it off) _Yeah...So I need you to book an OR for this afternoon and start prepping Julie. You'll be scrubbing in on the UKR.

**Meredith: **Thanks.

**Callie: **Sure. Just page me when we're good to go. _(She walks off) _

-----------------------

_(The hallway containing the board. Derek is standing in front of the board, Mark approaches him from behind)_

**Mark:** You hear about Addison?

**Derek: **_(Distracted) _What? Oh, yes. The Chief told me this morning.

**Mark: **You know, I thought that I'd be calling you Chief today.

**Derek: **It's not the right time. I wasn't ready. I thought I was, but I'm not.

**Mark: **Well, for what it's worth, I think you were the most ready out of all of us.

**Derek: **Thank you, Mark.

**Mark: **_(Looking at the board) _Quiet board.

**Derek: **Too quiet.

**Mark: **Look, you don't have anything scheduled for the afternoon, why don't you take off, clear your head. I know you can't be in a good place right now.

**Derek: **_(Dejected) _I'm not in any place. I have no idea where I am right now. Nothing makes sense anymore. I thought that I was breathing for her…but the truth is, I think she was breathing for me too…

-------------

_(Front desk. Cristina is rifling through charts, trying to find a surgical case. George sneaks through the front doors, glancing around, then makes a beeline for the desk, ducking behind a fichus tree)_

**George: **_(In a harsh whisper) _Cristina. Pssst. Over here.

**Cristina: **_(Confused, looking around for the voice. She spots George) _Bambi? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at Mercy West? I'm sure it's a hell of a lot more exciting around here. What surgeries have you done so far? I want details…

George: _(Paranoid)_ Shhh. I'm on my lunch break. And I don't want Callie to find out I'm here. I need to talk to Izzie. 

**Cristina: **Another fight with the little missus? No wonder she was on a warpath today. You know, if you could like, keep the fighting to a minimum that'd be great, because when she's in a bad mood we all suffer. And by we I mean me. And I really needed a good surgery today.

**George: (**_Exasperated) _Shut up! Just tell me where Izzie is!

**Cristina: **Don't get your panties in a bunch. I think she went outside. It's been really slow.

**George: **Thank you. _(He slithers away toward the front door. Cristina rolls her eyes, and continues to leaf through the charts. One catches her eye and she grabs it, running toward the elevators)_

---------------------------------------

_(OR 1. Alex and Mark are scrubbing in.)_

**Mark: **So, you glad to be back with the rockstars?

**Alex: **_(Laughs) _Yeah, well I think I got a good enough sample of the gynie squad. Gotta test out my options, you know?

**Mark: **You're making the right call. Plastics is where it's at. And while vaginas are cool and all, ob/gyn won't be the same with Addie gone.

**Alex: **_(Shocked) _Addis…Dr. Montgomery is gone? Wow.

**Mark: **She resigned yesterday. Heading to LA to work in some quack co-op.

**Alex: **_(Still shocked) _Wow.

**Mark: **_(Looking at Alex strangely) _You said that already. _(Finishes washing) _Alright, showtime. Lets go peel back some face.

_(Mark heads into the room, Alex, still stunned, finishes washing and follows)_

----------------------------------------

(Courtyard. Izzie is sitting on a bench with a textbook in her lap, eating an apple. George spots her, and approaches)

**George: **_(Tentatively) _Uh. Hey.

**Izzie: **_(Looks up. Angrily)_ What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at Mercy West? Or did you come here for a little procreation break?

**George: **_(Confused) _A procreation what? _(Realizing) _Did you talk to Callie?

**Izzie: **_(Indignant) _I'll tell you who I didn't talk to George. That would be you.

**George: **Izzie…I'm sorry I didn't come to the church. Well, I did go to the church, but I was too late and you had already…

**Izzie: **_(Interrupting) _Save it. I'm done.

**George: **Iz…please, listen. Yesterday was a mess and everything was happening all at once and I…

**Izzie: **_(Standing up) _No George, you listen. I poured my heart out to you yesterday. Do you think it was easy for me to tell you? It wasn't. I've wrestled with this for a month now, trying to decide what I should do, what I could say to you, whether it was worth sacrificing the best friendship I'd ever had. And I know that it was big, and inconvenient, and I'm not saying that you even have the same feelings back, but I wanted to know. I wanted to know where we stand. You kiss me in elevators, and tell me you can't be around me anymore, and I deserve to know why. But you don't have the decency to talk to me. No, instead I have to hear from your wife that things couldn't be better between you two, and oh, guess what? You're trying to have a baby. _(Her eyes tearing up) _We told each other everything. We always have, and that's why I thought I could tell you how I felt…about her, about your marriage, about you…And I expected the same. But you know what? I was wrong. I should have kept my mouth shut. So that's what I'm going to do now. _(Openly crying) _Goodbye George. _(She runs off. George stands there, speechless)_

----------------------

To Be Continued! REVIEW!


	4. A Sorta Fairytale 4

Author's Note: Thank you all so much for your positive reviews! I will definitely keep writing, as long as people are enjoying the story. As far as pairings go, I'm still making up my mind, and I don't want to ruin things, so bear with me. But rest assured, I will do my best to make sure people aren't disappointed. Also, I don't think I've mentioned it before, but I'm sticking with the Grey's theme of naming episodes after song titles. This one is "A Sorta Fairytale" by Tori Amos, in case any of you were wondering. Here's the final section of the first episode. Please review!

Season Four 

Episode One (continued): A Sorta Fairytale

(Surgical floor, nurses station. Bailey is standing at the desk making some notes. Cristina approaches, chart in hand)

**Cristina: **_(Clears her throat) _Um, hi Dr. Bailey, I was going through some charts and I noticed that you have a liver resection scheduled for this afternoon and I thought that maybe I could assist you…

**Bailey: **_(Without looking up)_ Aren't you supposed to be manning the clinic, Dr. Yang?

**Cristina: **Well, there weren't exactly any surgical patients down there, and since I am a resident now and I…

**Bailey: **_(Looking up at Cristina, interrupting) _Dr. Yang…

**Cristina: **Technically…yes.

**Bailey: **Well then, technically, get your surgery-hungry behind back downstairs before Dr. Torres-O'Malley realizes you're gone. _(Puts her pen down. Looks Cristina in the eye with sympathy) _Look, it's been a tough couple of days. I am sure that everyone would understand if you needed some time to pull it together. Why don't you go home?

**Cristina: **_(Thinks for a moment)_ Dr. Bailey, I was left at the altar. After I spent hours preparing for a wedding I didn't even want to have with a man who made me change who I am as a person in order to be with him. Nothing makes sense right now. I am questioning everything I believe in except this. I am a doctor. Helping people is what I do, it's who I am. Medicine and surgery are all I know for certain. And if I can't do that, I have nothing; there is no reason for me to go on. So please, I'm begging you. Let me scrub in; let me operate; let me make sense of my life, let me cope.

**Bailey: **_(With a look of pity) _Ok, go. Prepare OR 3, I'll be there in a few minutes to scrub in. _(Cristina leaves, with a look of gratitude on her face. Miranda shakes her head)_

(Callie approaches the nurses station)

**Callie: **Hello Dr. Bailey.

**Bailey: **Dr. Torres-O'Malley. I noticed you had three procedures scheduled for today. Pretty ambitious for your first day in the new position.

**Callie: **Gotta keep busy. Slow day gives you too much time to think.

**Bailey: **_(Nods her head in agreement) _How's George doing?

**Callie: **Well, I haven't talked to him yet. I'm sure he's busy with first day things over at Mercy West.

**Bailey: **_(Confused)_ Mercy West? He decided to repeat his internship over there?

**Callie: **_(Equally as confused) _No, he transferred there to start his residency. Why would he be repeating his internship…_(Bailey's face falls, Callie realizes) _unless he failed his exam. He failed his exam?

**Bailey: **_(Genuinely sorry) _I thought he told you.

**Callie: **No, I…I haven't seen him since yesterday afternoon. _(Putting the pieces together) _Well, I guess that would explain why he didn't come home last night…

**Bailey: **Callie, I'm so sorry. If there's anything…

**Callie: **_(Getting angry) _No, you know what? Don't worry. It's fine. George and I…we will figure this out. Just a curve in the road, you know? _(Pausing from her rambling) _I should go…knee replacement. _(She leaves abruptly. Bailey remains at the desk, pensive)_

---------------------------

(Surgery montage. In one OR, we see Sloan and Karev operating on a young boy. In the next, Bailey watching as Cristina takes a scalpel and slices. The third, Callie and Meredith standing over Julie's knee)

**Callie: **I'm going to need some more suction.

**Meredith: **_(Placing a tube into the surgical field) _You know, she came so close to getting the gold in Sarajevo. Her long program was flawless, but her knee gave out in the short, and she never recovered. _(Shakes her head) _You have this image in your head, about how you're going to get your happy ending, and in a second, it comes crashing down. Everything changes.

**Callie: **_(Pain in her eyes, not responding) _Alright. Everything looks good. Dr. Grey, we're all set, I'll close.

(Meredith nods and exits the OR. Meanwhile, Alex has finished scrubbing out. He walks swiftly down the hall and ducks into a supply closet, closes the door and runs his hands through his hair, exasperated. Meredith leaves the scrub room and approaches the nurses station. She pauses. To her left, Derek is walking down the hall, his face sullen. To her right, Lexie is breezing through the hallway, surrounded by other interns, chatting and giggling. Meredith turns around and runs into the nearest supply closet. She closes the door and sinks to the ground. Alex turns around and sees her) 

**Alex: **Dude, I gotta find a better hiding spot.

**Meredith:** (Sobbing) I'm sorry…I had to get out of the hallway.

**Alex: **(Realizing how upset she is. He sits down in front of her) Did you see Shepherd?

**Meredith: **(Her chest heaving) And Lexie. Because clearly, one isn't enough.

**Alex: **Mer, take a deep breath. (He rubs her shoulder)

**Meredith: **(Sobs subsiding, her voice a little more angry) No. I don't get to take a breath for myself. (Wiping tears from her face) I have to pull it together and act normal, because Cristina is hurting, and I'm her person, and I need to pretend that I'm not all screwed up and whatever. This isn't about me.

**Alex: **Look, just because Yang is having a hard time, it doesn't mean that your problems magically go away. You gotta deal with your own stuff too or it's gonna be worse later on. Believe me, I know screwed up.

**Meredith:** It cannot possibly get any worse than having to work 90-hour weeks with my ex-boyfriend and estranged half-sister.

**Alex: **You realize that by saying that, you're tempting fate. And fate's pretty much giving you an ass kicking as it is.

**Meredith: **(Laughing, as she wipes the last of the tears) Screw fate. (She takes a deep breath, then looks at Alex) What are you doing in here anyway?

**Alex: **(Sighs) Let's just say you're not the only one getting your ass kicked.

**Meredith: **Is it Ava?

**Alex: **(Hesitantly) Yeah…something like that. (Gives her a hand up) You good? (She nods. Alex opens the door and peeks down the hallway) Ok. Coast is clear. You can go first, I'll wait. Don't want people thinking we're getting it on in the supply closet.

**Meredith: **Although you're no stranger to that scenario. (Laughs)

**Alex: **Well, I've never had my panties stapled to the bulletin board. (She glares at him) I'll see you at home. (She nods, then slips out the door. Alex lets it close, remaining in the darkness)

------------------------------------

(Night time. Outside the front doors of the hospital. George is sitting on a bench. Callie exits through the front doors, and sees him. She walks over)

**Callie: **How was your first day?

**George: **(Stuttering) It was, um, it was good. Long.

**Callie: **(Anger in her eyes) Did you like Mercy West?

**George: **Uh, yeah. I guess.

**Callie: **George.

**George: **(Sheepishly) Yeah?

**Callie: **I know your secret.

**George: **(Goes pale) Secret? What are you talking about?

**Callie: **(Indignant) I can't believe you didn't tell me about the exam! (George looks relieved…he was thinking of a different secret) I had to hear it from Miranda Bailey. I looked like an absolutely idiot, not to mention a terrible wife. Here we are, getting ready to start a family, and you are keeping these huge things from me.

**George: **I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. You were just so excited about getting Chief Resident, and babies, and I couldn't ruin it for you…I couldn't bring myself to tell you this awful thing, and I needed time to think. On my own.

**Callie: **(Sitting down) George, we're a team. This marriage thing, it only works if we're honest with each other, so we can work things out. I'm sorry you failed, I really am. I know how hard you worked, and how stressed you were. It's been a tough year, and you have dealt with so much.

**George: **I just…I don't know what to do. I can't just walk away from medicine. I'm a doctor. I'm supposed to be a doctor.

**Callie: **Well, I think the best solution would be to repeat your intern year. You can go to Mercy West first thing tomorrow and explain the situation. I'm sure they have room in their program.

**George: **(Incredulously) Mercy West? You want me to repeat my intern year at Mercy West?

**Callie:** If you stay here, you'll have all the same problems. The same…distractions. Mercy West would be a fresh start.

**George: **No, it wouldn't. (Getting mad) Look, I'm dealing with this huge, life-altering thing right now. I have to make a decision that's going to change the rest of my life, and you want me to go to some strange, new place where I don't know anyone and just start over, like this past year didn't happen?

**Callie: **George, I'm just saying, a new place could help you. It could be just what you need…what we need.

**George: **No. What I need is for you to stop deciding what I should do. I need to work through this without you planning my every move like some kid who needs step-by-step directions. (He gets up) I need space. (He walks away)

(Callie remains, her face a mixture of hurt and anger)

----------------------------------------------

(Night time. Meredith's house. Alex is sitting in the family room, reading a magazine. Meredith and Izzie enter through the front door and pass by the family room)

**Alex: **(Greeting both of them) Hey.

(Both ignore him. Izzie heads to the kitchen, Meredith heads upstairs)

**Izzie: **I need to bake something.

**Meredith:** I need to drink something.

(A few seconds later Cristina and George enter through the front door and pass by the family room)

**Alex: **(Greeting both of them) Hey.

(Both ignore him. Cristina heads up the stairs, George heads to the kitchen)

**Cristina: **I need to talk to Meredith.

**George: **I need to talk to Izzie.

(Alex shrugs, then returns to his reading)

(Kitchen. Izzie has started to pull ingredients. George enters, she turns to walk away, he stops her)

**George: **Wait. I need you to hear what I have to say. I need you to listen to me, and not get mad, and not walk away. I know that my behavior lately has, well…sucked, quite frankly, and that I don't deserve another chance, but I'm asking for it. I need you, Iz. I need my best friend.

**Izzie: **(Folding her arms across her chest) I'm listening.

**George: **What you told me yesterday…all the things that you said…took a lot of courage, I know that. You put it all on the line, because that's the kind of person you are, honest and brave. And there was nothing more in the world that I wanted to do than to go to that church and tell you exactly how I feel. I promised you I would. And then I broke that promise. And it wasn't because of Callie, or the baby she thinks is going to fix things between us. I didn't come because I failed. I failed my exam. And in those hours after opening that letter, I couldn't say anything, or think of anything, or do anything…I was lost. I'm still lost. Everything that I thought I knew is gone.

**Izzie: **(Walking towards George, then wrapping her arms around him) I'm not gone George. (They stand in the kitchen, embracing)

----------------------

(Meredith's room. Meredith is on the bed, with a bottle of tequila. Cristina enters and stands in the door frame)

**Cristina: **So I might be in denial. A little bit.

**Meredith: **Me too.

**Cristina: **I don't need you to be strong for me. You get that, right? It's ok for us to be dark and twisty together.

**Meredith: **It is? (Cristina nods) How do we deal with this, then?

**Cristina: **(Walking over to the bed, grabbing the bottle and taking a swig) Tequila helps. (She sits)

**Meredith: **Yeah.

**Meredith V.O.: **We all think that we're going to ride off into the sunset with our perfect prince to a perfect kingdom and a happy ending.

(Cristina and Meredith head downstairs and join Alex in the family room, turning the TV on)

**Meredith V.O.: **But maybe these obstacles and twists of fate are meant to show us that we're still in the middle, trying to navigate this life.

(George and Izzie break their hug, and join the group, plopping down on the couches Cristina grabs the remote from Alex, he throws popcorn to retaliate. George and Izzie laugh at him)

**Meredith V.O.: **We have to take these moments of pain and suffering in stride, and hope that the small glimpses of happiness we get are a preview of what lies ahead.

**------------------------------------**

Preview for next episode: Izzie enlists the help of the new residents to help George. But what will Callie think of all this? Can her relationship with George survive? Also, how will Meredith react when she finds out that Lexie was the highlight of Derek's week? And how will Alex cope with losing two prospects in one day? Find out!

TBC! Review!!!


	5. With a Little Help From My Friends 1

Author's Note: Sorry for the delay in updates. I'm on vacation, and have limited internet access, so don't expect a whole lot for the next week. Thank you all for the fantastic reviews! It really motivates me to keep writing, knowing that so many are enjoying my work! Keep them coming  Enjoy the update!

Season Four

Episode Two: With a Little Help From My Friends

_(Opening scene: pan over Seattle at sunrise)_

**Meredith V.O.: **I once heard someone say that friends are God's way of apologizing for your family.

(Shots of Meredith and Cristina fast asleep in Meredith's bed. Alex asleep in his. George passed out on the family room couch)

**Meredith V.O.: **It's a nice sentiment when you think about it. Friends should be like a breath of fresh air; a taste of sanity amidst a sea of crazy mothers, absent fathers, siblings you never met…ok so maybe that's just me, but you get the idea.

(Izzie is in the kitchen making breakfast. Lots of breakfast)

**Meredith V.O.: **It's all very lovely, but the reality is, usually the friends we let closest to us somehow manage to get tangled right up in our complicated little lives.

_(Izzie puts down her spatula and climbs the stairs)_

**Izzie: **_(Reaching the top of the staircase) _Everybody up! _(She begins going door to door. Alex first) _Get up Alex.

**Alex: **_(Rolling over and glancing at his alarm clock_, _grumbling) _Jesus Izzie, it's 5:30.

**Izzie: **Come on. I made breakfast.

**Alex: **I don't do breakfast. _(He rolls over)_

**Izzie: **You do today. _(Annoyed) _The birds are chirping, the sun is shining and it's a brand new freaking day. Now get your ass out of bed and downstairs. _(She leaves. He sits up and shakes his head)_

**Meredith V.O.: **And they also manage to bring their own issues.

_(She continues down the hall and stops at Meredith's room. She enters and opens the blinds)_

**Cristina: **_(Recoiling) _Ouch. It hurts.

**Meredith: **_(Squinting)_ What time is it?

**Izzie: **Time to wake up. Be downstairs in five minutes. I made pancakes. We're having a meeting. _(She leaves the room and head back downstairs)_

**Cristina: **_(Rubbing her eyes) _A meeting? What kind of meeting?

**Meredith: **Why is she up so early? We don't have to be at the hospital for 2 and a half hours. _(Sits up, then immediately lies back down) _Ugh. That was a bad idea.

**Cristina: **_(Getting up) _She's trying to kill us. She's trying to kill us with her pancakes and her muffins and her meetings. _(Heads into the bathroom)_

**Meredith: **_(Throwing her head back on the pillow and groaning) _I think I might already be dying. _(Feels her forehead) _Yep. I'm pretty sure…I think this is the end.

**Cristina: **_(Popping out of the bathroom, toothbrush in her mouth) _Meredith, you almost blew up and then you drowned, and you're still not dead. You're like a cockroach. You can't die. _(Continues brushing) _

**Meredith V.O.: **So, the question begs to be asked, if friends are supposed to be a release from the trials and tribulations of family life, what happens when your friends become your family?

**Meredith: **_(Glaring at Cristina, then looking at her hand) _Hey, is that _my_ toothbrush? _(Cristina shrugs)_

--------------------------------------------

(The kitchen. Izzie is placing a cup of coffee in front of Alex, who looks exhausted. Cristina and Meredith enter, both looking massively hungover) 

**Alex: **_(Perking up at the sight of Meredith and Cristina) _Well, well, well, if it isn't the Tequila Twins themselves. _(Takes a sip of coffee) _You two look about as shitty as I feel.

(Meredith glowers at him, takes a cup of coffee from Izzie, and plops down at the table)

**Cristina: **If I weren't still half asleep, I'd verbally assault you.

**Meredith: **Which leads us to the million dollar question…what the hell are we doing up so early?

_(All three turn to Izzie, who is setting a plate of pancakes on the table. She ignores them)_

**Izzie: **Ok, this side is blueberry, and this side is chocolate chip. I also made some french toast, and the scrambled eggs will be done in a minute.

**Alex: **_(Forking some pancakes onto his plate) _Look, Iz, as much as enjoy reaping the benefits of your stress-baking, lets save us all some aggravation and cut to the chase.

**Izzie: **_(Sitting down) _Ok. I have something to tell you guys. And its not good. _(They look at her expectantly. She whispers) _George failed his intern exam. _(None of them have heard her)_

**Cristina: **What? I can't hear you…my senses don't fully activate until the second cup of coffee.

**Izzie: **_(Annoyed, repeating herself in a harsher whisper) _George failed his intern exam.

**Meredith: **_(Choking on her coffee, rather loudly) _He failed?!?

**Izzie: **_(Glaring at her) _Shh! He's asleep in the next room!

**Alex: **_(In disbelief) _I can't believe he didn't pass.

**Cristina: **I know. I would have placed my bets on you, Evil Spawn.

**Alex: **Hey, I passed the test the first time I took it.

**Meredith: **_(Defensively) _What's that supposed to mean?

**Izzie: **_(Annoyed) _Will you all just shut up? We need to fix this.

**Cristina: **So he failed, so he has to repeat his intern year…it had to happen to someone in the program. _(Keeps eating. Izzie and Meredith glare at her) _What? It's a fact…you all heard the same statistics I did on our first day…seven people will fail their exam.

**Izzie: **But this is George. He's not a statistic. We have to help him.

**Meredith: **I just don't know what we can do, Iz. I mean, he can't retake the exam…we'd have to go to the Chief…

**Alex: **And lets face it, we don't exactly have the best track record with authority figures at Seattle Grace. I mean, half the people at this table have slept with attendings, and you almost got kicked out of the program…_(All three stare at him, angrily)_

**Meredith: **Not helping.

**Cristina: **We have our own problems to deal with. Just let him go Izzie. Let him redo his year at Mercy West. There's nothing we can do.

**Izzie: **_(Angrily)_ I can't believe all of you. This is George. George, who convinced me to get off the bathroom floor and go back to work, _(Looks at Alex) _George who helped you study for your boards when you failed the first time. _(Looks at Meredith)_ George who convinced the Chief to let you retake the intern exam less than a week ago.

**Cristina: **Looks like I'm off the hook…

**Izzie: **_(Shoots a look at Cristina) _Look, he's not perfect, and he's definitely made some big mistakes, and I know that all of our lives are sucking lately, but at the end of the day, George is our friend. He's our family, and he has been there for all of us when we needed him, and he deserves the same. So we are going to go to the Chief, and do whatever it takes to get him back at Seattle Grace.

(The table is silent. There's a rustling in the living room, George pads down the hall and into the kitchen, rubbing his head)

**George: **Why is everyone up so early? _(They all look at him and smile, a little too cheerfully) _What? _(He realizes, then looks to Izzie) _You told them.

**Izzie: **_(Apologetically) _They were going to find out anyway. Pancake?

**George: **I'm not hungry.

**Izzie: **_(Forcing him into the chair) _Sit. Eat. We're leaving for the hospital in 20 minutes.

**George: **What? No. I'm not going back there.

**Meredith: **I really wouldn't argue with her today George. She made pancakes _and_ french toast.

**Alex: **Dude, we're gonna figure this out. _(Pats George on the shoulder as he gets up and heads upstairs)_

_(Izzie glares at Cristina, expectantly)_

**Cristina: **Uh, yeah. What he said. _(Meredith raises her eyebrows, Cristina shrugs. George puts his head in his hands. Izzie sets a mug of coffee in front of him and begins to clear the table)_

--------------------------------------------

(Surgical floor, nurses station. Callie is standing there, glancing at a chart. Bailey is walking by, followed eagerly by her interns)

**Bailey: **Good morning Dr. Torres-O'Malley.

**Callie: **Dr. Bailey, I was actually just going to look for you.

**Bailey: **Something I can help you with?

**Callie: **Yes actually. I was going to have Stevens perform an appendectomy on her own today, I think she's ready. But I want her to have a couple of interns. Mind if I borrow yours?

**Bailey: **Sure. _(Looks at her chart) _Walsh, Grey, you will be with Dr. Stevens today. Little, you'll be doing discharges, Davidson, you can take the ER, and Laroe, you'll stick with me.

**Callie: **Thanks.

**Bailey: **Mmm-hmm. _(Motions to the remaining interns) _Let's go people.

**Callie: **Ok, the surgery is scheduled for 9 am. Dr. Stevens should be here soon, in the meantime one of you can prep the patient and the other can prep the OR. _(Lexie and Walsh nod, Callie walks away)_

-------------------------------------

(The residents locker room. Meredith, Cristina, and Alex are changing and grabbing stuff out of their lockers.)

**Izzie: **(Whispering into the bathroom stall) Ok, so we're going to go do rounds, and then I have a meeting with the Chief. Meredith's going to come check on you in a little bit, and Cristina will make sure Callie stays out of the locker room.

**George: **(Whispering, angrily) I cannot believe you are making me hide in the bathroom. This is never going to work Izzie. I failed. And now Callie's going to find out I'm going behind her back and she's going to be even angrier, which I don't think is humanly possible. I should just go home, cut my losses and try out the whole postal worker thing.

**Izzie: **Shut up. I have to go. Page me if you need anything.

**George: **I hate you.

**Izzie: **Whatever. (She joins the other residents, who leave the locker room and convene around the front desk, waiting for assignments. Callie approaches)

**Callie: **Good morning. Today is going to be very busy. We're still understaffed and we've got a lot of stuff scheduled. Karev, you're on gyno, there are three c-sections this morning and you'll be performing one on your own.

**Alex: **Sweet. (He heads for the elevator)

**Callie: **Meredith, you're with Bailey, Yang, you're with Shepherd. (Cristina frowns) Something wrong Yang? Maybe you'd like to cover the clinic again?

**Cristina: **No. Everything is fine.

**Callie: **Good. Stevens, you're going to be performing an appendectomy on your own in half an hour. I'm giving you 2 interns.

**Izzie: **Actually, I can't.

**Callie: **(In disbelief) What do you mean you can't?

**Izzie: **I have a meeting with the Chief at 9.

**Callie: **(Suspicious) Ok, fine. Your loss.

**Meredith: **I'll can do it. If you want.

**Callie: **That's fine. You're in OR 3. You can go scrub in. (She turns to Izzie) You can come find me after your meeting and I'll figure out where to put you. (She walks away)

**Cristina: **Man, I can't believe you're giving up your own surgery, with interns to boss around, for a lousy meeting with the Chief. Which, by the way, will not achieve anything.

**Izzie: **It's for George. Thanks for covering for me. _(Meredith nods. She walks away)_

**Cristina: **_(Shakes her head) _Look, are you ok with me working with him?

**Meredith: **Its not like you had a choice. Don't worry about it.

(Derek approaches from around the corner. There is an awkward silence.)

**Derek: **Dr. Yang, I'm ready for rounds.

**Cristina: **Sure. _(She glances at Meredith wistfully, then follows Derek down the hall. Meredith stands still for a moment, then collects herself and heads for the OR)_

-------------------------------------------------

TBC! Review please 


End file.
